Interest Grows in Downloadable Media @ the Black River Falls Public Library

Library patrons using more electronic materials.   (Jackson County Chronicle, 11/16/2011)

Excerpt: Black River Falls’ Marjorie Halverson purchased an electronic book reader two years ago when she was having back surgery so people wouldn’t have to bring her paper copies during her recovery.

Halverson’s device — an Amazon Kindle — now is filled with more than 100 books she purchased. But now the 65-year-old avid reader has been checking out electronic books for her device at the Black River Falls Public Library rather than paying for them.

“I think it’s wonderful because I definitely love using the library (and) this will make it so much easier,” she said. “If you can get them through the library, there’s no reason to buy them.”

Black River Falls Public Library’s Kindle users just recently became able to download books to their devices after the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium’s electronic book collection became compatible with the device.

The move is one of many that represent the library’s move to accommodate patrons who are becoming more interested in using electronic and digital materials.